Japan Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Japanese manners and customs are vastly different from those of Western people. A strict code of behavior and politeness is recognized and followed by almost everyone. However, Japanese people do not expect visitors to be familiar with all their customs but do expect them to behave formally and politely.

A straightforward refusal traditionally does not form part of Japanese etiquette, and a vague ‘yes' does not always mean ‘yes'. (The visitor may be comforted to know that confusion caused by non-committal replies occurs between the Japanese themselves.)

When entering a Japanese home or restaurant, shoes must be removed. Bowing is the customary greeting but handshaking is becoming more common for business meetings with Westerners. The honorific suffix san should be used when addressing all men and women; for instance Mr Yamada would be addressed as Yamada-san.

Table manners are very important, although the Japanese host will be very tolerant towards a visitor. However, it is best if visitors familiarize themselves with basic table etiquette and use chopsticks. Exchange of gifts is also a common business practice and may take the form of souvenir items such as company pens, ties or high-quality spirits.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

Both Japan Airlines (JAL) (www.jal.co.jp) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) (www.ana.co.jp/eng) offer international connections to Japan.

Main Airports

Narita International Airport (NRT) (Narita City) (www.narita-airport.jp/en) is 65km (40 miles) east of Tokyo (journey time - 1 hour 10 minutes) and has two terminals. To/from the airport: Airport Limousine Buses (www.limousinebus.co.jp) depart regularly from the airport to city-center hotels. Japan Railways' reservation-only Narita Express line (www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex) runs from Narita station terminal located beneath the airport to Tokyo station (journey time - 1 hour), Shinjuku (journey time - 1 hour 30 minutes) and Yokohama (journey time - 1 hour 45 minutes) regularly. There are also private Keisei line trains (www.keisei.co.jp) running to Ueno in northern Tokyo. Travelers should note that a taxi to the city from Narita is at least five times as expensive as the train and no faster than the buses. Facilities: Duty-free shops, bank/bureau de change, car hire, restaurants, tourist information center in both terminals, post office, mobile phone and video camera hire and internet facilities. Departure Tax: ¥2040.

(Osaka) Kansai International (KIX) (Kansai) (www.kansai-airport.or.jp) is 50km (31 miles) southwest of Osaka. To/from the airport: There are several trains to the city with the Nankai Express train to Nakai Namba station offering the fastest journey time of just over 40 mintues. JR West services goes to JR Osaka station (journey time - 1 hour 10 minutes). Taxis are available to the city (journey time - 1 hour) but are very expensive compared to buses which take about an hour to reach the city also. Facilities: Duty-free shops, car hire, banks/bureau de change, tourist information and bar/restaurant. Departure Tax: ¥2650.

Central Japan International Airport (Centrair) (NGO) (www.centrair.jp/en) is 35km (23 miles) south of Nagoya. To/from the airport: The high-speed Meitetsu Airport rail line (www.meitetsu.co.jp/english/airport-access/index.html) connects the airport with the city (journey time - 28 minutes). JR Tokai Bus Company operates frequent services between the airport and Nagoya station (journey time - about 45 minutes). Meitetsu bus services are also frequent and call at Sakae and several hotels in the city. Taxis are available. Facilities: Car hire, bureau de change, ATMs, bars, restaurants and shops. Departure Tax: None.

Fukuoka International (FUK) (www.fuk-ab.co.jp) is 20 minutes' journey time from Fukuoka City. Facilities: Outgoing duty-free shop, car hire, bank/bureau de change and bar/restaurant. Departure Tax: ¥945.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Osaka, Kobe and Okinawa.

Japan is accessible by sea, and passenger ships include the major ports on their schedules. Ferries operate daily from Osaka and Kobe to Shanghai (China) and weekly from Kobe to Tanggu (near Tianjin, China). For Taiwan, ferries depart from Okinawa with Arimura Sangyo Lines. To confirm sailing times in English, try tel: (03) 3562 2091 or (98) 860 1980. For South Korea there's a route between Busan and Fukuoka (www.jrbeetle.co.jp/english), Busan and Hakata (www.camellia-line.co.jp), and Busan and Shimonoseki (www.kampuferry.co.jp).

Links to the Russian Federation include weekly services between Fushiki, near Toyama, and Vladivostok (www.bisintour.com). Alternatively, there is a twice-weekly service to Wakkanai in Hokkaido from Korsakov in the Russian Federation. There are cruises between the Japanese islands en route to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Getting There By Rail

The Trans-Siberian route to Japan is an interesting, if lengthy, trip. Connections can be made daily from London via Harwich or Dover through Europe to Moscow. The Trans-Siberian railway departs regularly from Moscow. Among the many tour operators that organize tickets for this is The Russia Experience (www.trans-siberian.co.uk).

Duty Free

Overview

The following goods may be imported into Japan without incurring customs duty:

• 400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g of tobacco or 500g of a combination of these.
• Three bottles (approximately 0.76L each) of spirits.
• 56mL of perfume.
• Gifts up to the value of ¥200,000.

There is no duty-free allowance for alcohol or tobacco products for travelers aged 19 years or younger. Oral declaration is necessary on arrival at customs.

Prohibited Imports

Counterfeit, altered or imitated coins, paper money, banknotes or securities; all plants with soil; most meats and fruits; animals without health certificates; firearms and ammunition; narcotics; obscene articles and publications (including films). Visitors should be aware that in Japan cold and flu medication containing stimulants are illegal. You are not permitted to take commonly available nasal decongestant medication such as Sudafed and Vicks Inhalers into Japan.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

All Nippon Airways (ANA) (www.ana.co.jp) and Japan Airlines (JAL) (www.jal.co.jp/en) maintain an extensive network of flights covering all of Japan and its islands. There are a few budget airlines too, such as Skymark (www.skymark.co.jp) and Air Do (www.airdo.com). Tokyo's domestic airport is Haneda (HND) (www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp/en), its international airport is Narita (NRT) (www.narita-airport.jp/en).

A monorail service runs from Hamamatsu-cho to Haneda while both JR and Keisei trains connect Narita with Tokyo (fastest train: one hour). Other major airports with international connections include Kansai International Airport (www.kansai-airport.or.jp) near Osaka, Fukuoka (www.fuk-ab.co.jp), Centrair (www.centrair.jp/en/index.html) near Nagoya, and New Chitose Airport (www.new-chitose-airport.jp) near Sapporo.

Getting Around By Water

There are ferry connections between Tokyo, Kochi and Tokushima on Shikou, and Tomakomai on Hokkaido (www.tptc.or.jp). Major sea routes include Himeji-Fukuda, Okayama-Tonosho and Takamatsu-Tonosho; Shiraishijima and Manabejima Islands: Kasaoka-Shiraishijima-Manabejima; and Ikuchijima and Omishama Islands: Mihara-Setoda. Bullet train services travel frequently to ports. Ferry companies include Shin Nihonkai Ferry (www.snf.jp) and Ocean Tokyu Ferry (www.otf.jp).

Getting Around By Rail

The Japan Railways Group (JR) (www.japanrail.com) runs one of the best rail networks in the world. Kyuko (Express) and Tokkyu (the faster Limited Express) trains are best for intercity travel. Very frequent services run on the main routes. Shinkansen, the ‘bullet trains', are the fastest, with compartments for wheelchair passengers, and buffet facilities.

Supplements are payable on the three classes of express train and in ‘Green' (first-class) cars of principal trains, for which reservations must be made. Other types of train include Kaisoku (Rapid Train) and Futsu (Local Train). For short-distance trains, tickets can be bought at vending machines outside train stations.

Rail Passes

Japan Rail Pass: an economical pass for foreign tourists that must be purchased before arrival in Japan (www.japanrailpass.net). Valid for seven, 14 or 21 days. Contact the tourist board for details of local vendors. It can be used on all JR trains (except the super express Nozomi services on the Shinkansen lines), and also on JR buses and JR ferries. A Japan Rail Pass brochure is available from the Japan National Tourist Organization (www.jnto.go.jp). For travelers with a JR Pass, there are various other discounts in operation including a 10% discount at any JR Group Hotel.

Other JR rail passes include the JR East Pass (www.jreast.co.jp/e/eastpass/index.html), JR Kyushu Rail Pass (www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/kyushu_railpass.html), the Kansai Area Pass and the San'yo Area Pass from JR West (www.westjr.co.jp/english/travel/jrp/index.html), and the Hokkaido Rail Pass (www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/railpass/rail.html), which is more localized and therefore slightly cheaper than the JR Pass.

For details of other discount fares, contact the Japan Railways Group (www.japanrail.com).

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the left in Japan. Understanding the road signs can be a problem as not all are translated into English. Traffic in cities is often congested. The Keiyo Highway, Meishin Expressway, Tohoku Expressway and the Tomei Expressway link Japan's major Pacific coastal cities, but there are high tolls for using them.

Coach/bus: Buses and coaches connect most major cities, run by big companies such as JR Bus Kanto (www.jrbuskanto.co.jp/bus_route_e/).

Taxi: Japanese taxi drivers are very professional, but rarely speak English, so it is advisable for tourists to have their destination written out in Japanese, or to be able to point to it on a map. A peculiarity of all Japanese taxis is that the rear doors are operated automatically by the driver - visitors should not try to open or close the doors themselves. Tipping is not customary and could offend.

Car hire: Many international car hire firms are present.

Regulations: Seat belts are compulsory and speed limits on highways is 80kmp (50mph) although many drivers exceed this. In cities the speed limit is 40kph (25mph).

Emergency breakdown service: The Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) (tel: (03) 6833 9100; www.jaf.or.jp/e/index_e.htm), provides an English-language ‘Rules of the Road' booklet and offers 24-hour breakdown assistance for both members and non-members. In the case of an accident, the police must be informed (tel: 110).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required. Minimum driving age is 18.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Public transport is well developed, efficient and crowded during rush hours. The underground systems and suburban rail services, which serve all the main cities, are very convenient. Tokyo also has one working tram - the Toden-Arakawa line running 12km (7.5 miles) from Waseda via Ikebukuro to Minowa-bashi in northeast Tokyo.

Bus: Because of a general lack of English signs, these can be confusing and are best used with someone who knows the system. Otherwise visitors should get exact details of their destination from the hotel. Fares systems are highly automated, and passes are usually available. In Tokyo (www.tokyobus.or.jp) you'll pay a flat fare of ¥200 on entering a bus, but elsewhere - especially if you're traveling over a distance in the countryside and suburbs, you'll pay on exiting the bus, depending on the distance you have traveled.

Metro: All of Japan's largest cities have subway systems. Tokyo has two underground systems: the nine-line Tokyo Metro system (www.tokyometro.jp/global/en/index.html), and the four-line Toei (www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/english/index.html). Tickets for Toei lines are not valid for the Tokyo Metro and vice versa, so a transfer ticket must be bought. A variety of tickets can be bought including a monthly open pass, one-day open ticket, 14 tickets for the price of 10 and a Tokyo Combination ticket. The most convenient pass though is PASMO (www.pasmo.co.jp), a stored value card that can be used on all subway lines as well as JR and private railway lines and buses in the Tokyo area.

Kyoto also has its own subway system with two major lines: the Karasuma and Tozai lines (www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/access/subway.html) as do Osaka (www.kotsu.city.osaka.jp/foreign/english/index.html) and Sapporo.

Taxi: These can be expensive, particularly in rush hour (0730-0930 and 1700-1800) when traffic can be very slow. There is a minimum charge of ¥660 for the first 2km (1.2 miles) followed by ¥80 per 274m (900ft) thereafter, plus a time charge when the taxi is moving at less than 10kph (6mph). It is advisable for visitors to have prepared in advance the name and address of their destination in Japanese writing, together with the name of some nearby landmark; a map may also help, as Japanese streets can be complicated and some taxi drivers will get confused. Hotels can provide this service.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Tokyo to other major cities/towns in Japan.

	Air	Road	Rail	Sea
Nagoya	-	4.00	2.00	-
Nagasaki	1.40	18.00	9.00	-
Osaka	1.00	6.00	3.15	-
Sapporo	1.25	-	14.00	-